Is some money now better than more money later?

There is a risk in choosing to "wait for the trade" instead of buying a comic on a monthly basis. There's always the possibility that if you wait, and enough other people wait, the comic company may decide that the monthly comic isn't doing well enough and cancel it. They do cancel comics pretty quickly these days, and it's entirely possible that a comic could be canceled for poor sales before the point the first trade would have come out.

But you know, the movie business has been dealing with something like that for years. There are plenty of movies which may not do all that well at the theater, but which will eventually sell a heck of a lot of DVDs. And that money isn't inconsiderable. It's not an entirely analogous situation, but obviously it's possible for a business to make such a change when necessary and beneficial.

So how long will it be before comic companies figure out how to make similar estimates of trade sales when deciding whether or not to keep a comic book going?

Question about the good old days

So is there really a lot more editorial control of comic book content now than there was in the old days (60s-80s)? I know there are more company-wide events now that require books to be more or less on the same page, but I think there's also now more of a notion that comics can be a creative medium in the same sense as novels or movies, that there can be a dominant creative voice. So there may be more of an expectation that that sort of creative control is an option, and perhaps it's more apparent when that's not there?

I'd like more of this sort of thing

I just read the trade of Captain Marvel and the Monster Society of Evil. I got it for the kids, but I really enjoyed it--very awesome depiction of little Mary Marvel. It wasn't flawless, but on the whole I was very impressed.

So much for that decision (Spoilerage for JLA 31)

The comics arrived todsy, and I was surprised to see JLA 31 in the box (apparently I'd checked the box in error), but it was a pleasant surprise--only, if Dinah is disbanding the current JLA team because Hal is starting his own, does that mean that there won't be a point where there are two JLA books to buy (or not)?

Because I was kind of looking forward to that.

Even though I'm generally getting the current one as a trade.

What I Want: The June 09 Marvel Solicitations

MISS AMERICA COMICS #1 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
A brand new adventure of one of comics’ original super-heroines! Plus an extra-special classic reprint of one of her original 1940’s adventures.
Jen van Meter (Black Lightning) and Andy MacDonald (PUNISHER: WAR JOURNAL) take you back to a time when the fate of the United States rested not only in thousands of men fighting for freedom overseas, but also in the hands of the women back home building the equipment that would keep the country running and winning!
So get ready Axis Annie, Vichy Vixen, and...Madame Mauzer! Her name might be Miss America...but she sure ain’t gonna miss a chance to sock evil in the face!
(This solicit brought to you by a very tipsy editor!)
YOUNG ALLIES COMICS #1 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Before they were Invaders, Bucky Barnes and Toro the Flaming Kid joined forces with four teen-age friends to battle the Third Reich as the Young Allies! Their fictionalized adventures thrilled readers on the Home Front throughout World War II, but their real story has never been told -- until now! Discover the truth behind comics' original kid gang! Action! Intrigue! Adventure! All in a timely tale by Roger Stern (Amazing Spider-Man) and Paolo Rivera (Mythos). And in a bonus back-up, take another trip to the Golden Age with a classic reprint from the Timely Era!

Yes and yes, and thank you!


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596 & #597
AMERICAN SON continues. Spider-Man goes up against Venom and Bullseye as he prepares to infiltrate the Dark Avengers headquarters. Meanwhile Harry’s life takes a dramatic turn now that he’s reunited with Lily and wedding plans continue for two lucky Parker pals.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #598
That cover pretty much tells you what you need to know. Is there an evil obstetrician in the house?!?

For the fourteen-year-old.


DARK AVENGERS #6
Big, bold choices! That's what Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. and Avengers have been all about! And with every bold choice comes more and more risk! And with risk comes pressure! And with pressure...come the voices. How long can Norman Osborn hold it together? And what is he willing to do to make it look like everything is just fine!
NEW AVENGERS #54
A Sorcerer Supreme is chosen! Be witness to a very important chapter in Avengers history and the lore of Marvel magic! Plus, the Avengers finally have a big showdown with the Hood and not everyone walks away from it unharmed!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #26
The Avengers/Fantastic Four slobberknocker continues! This one's got it all true believers: from MR. FANTASTIC and HANK PYM'S battle of the brains to HERCULES and THE THING'S battle o' the brawn! When it's over, expect BIG changes for Earth's Mightiest Heroes-- including the team's all-new headquarters and a very disturbing DARK REIGN alliance.

I don't know yet if I'm going to keep wanting "Dark Avengers" long-term but am giving it a chance at this point.


MS. MARVEL #40
The Dark Reign continues! What is the secret A.I.M. project that Karla Sofen has stumbled into...and what does it have to do with Carol Danvers? Special guest stars Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage...and Deadpool?!

Yes, I know what I said. Yes, I'm still getting this. Come on, it's got Deadpool!


NEW AVENGERS: THE REUNION #4 (of 4)
The red-hot reunion reaches its explosive conclusion with part four, The Avenger Who Came in From the Cold. Secrets are revealed, literal bombs are dropped, and an emotional choice forever alters the course of both Ronin and Mockingbird's lives. Don’t miss the book Comic Book Resources says has "everything one might want in an intelligently written adventure comic. There are secrets and lies, trusts and betrayals, and more. If you want action, there's plenty of action."
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #25
"THE INITIATIVE: DISASSEMBLED" reaches its shocking conclusion! The full effects of Dark Reign take hold as Norman Osborn reshapes the Initiative into a place to train the Dark Avengers of tomorrow! And wait until you see who's running things now...(Hint: they're on the cover!) But what will happen to the Gauntlet, Tigra, Trauma and the other heroes who've made the Initiative what it is? Oh, Norman has plans for them as well... DON'T MISS THE ISSUE THAT CHANGES THE INITIATIVE FOREVER!

Okay, I don't absolutely have to get everything with the word "avengers" in the title. It just seems that way.



DEADPOOL #11
“BULLSEYE,” Part 2
Okay, that was...unexpected. Bullseye has learned some new tricks since the last time they met! But now it’s Deadpool’s turn to go on the offensive...and there’s nobody more offensive than Deadpool!

Because it's Deadpool.



AVENGERS/INVADERS #12 (of 12)
The year long event concludes with a battle royale against a Cosmic Cube powered Red Skull that shakes history to its core. In an altered past and an unrecognizable present, three super-powered teams made up of Earth Mightiest Heroes and the Greatest Heroes of World War Two, find themselves at a crossroads that none of them...or us...may survive.

Last issue of this series. Hope everything pulls together and makes sense. :)


CAPTAIN AMERICA #600
Where were you when Captain America died? It's the anniversary of the day Steve Rogers was killed, a day of reflection and mourning in the Marvel U...a time to look back on the things Steve did and what he stood for... or is this issue actually the beginning of the most wicked plot twist since issue 25? Yeah, actually it's both. Plus, contributions from Cap creators past and present, including a very special essay by Joe Simon, a classic story from Cap’s Golden Age, a full gallery of 600 Cap covers, and more anniversary shenanigans than you can shake a shield at!

So will the next issue be 601 or back to 51?


CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #14
“VAMPIRE STATE”
The pieces are all in motion. Dracula, Lilith and Captain Fate are heading for Earth with their invasion force, as the Vampire Lord’s deal with Dr. Doom and master plan all come together. MI13 has been taken apart and the world is ripe for THE taking. Part 5 (of 6)

I am astonished that Dracula is in a comic book and it isn't gimmicky.


CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 ANNUAL #1
Meggan is Captain Britain's wife, an X-Man in Hell. And she's going to fight her way home. Over years, bargains, battles, with only her love to guide her. Can she get back to Earth in time to help her husband turn back Dracula and his evil invasion? And is that a metal gauntlet offering a hand? Don’t miss this key part of “Vampire State”! Plus: MI13 delves into the secrets behind British Magic.

Yeah, okay, this too.


MARVEL ADVENTURES THE AVENGERS #37
DOLL WINNER'S SQUAD: He's back, and now the Puppet Master's reach extends into the past, where he's controlling the All Winner's Squad into reshaping the "future world" of today into his own very personal utopia! But when Miss America, Golden Girl and the Blonde Phantom arrive from the 1940's to team up with today's Captain America and the rest of Avengers, it's a battle royale to decide the past, present and future fate of the world!

For the ten-year-old.


RUNAWAYS #11
Written by CLASSIFIED
Penciled by CLASSIFIED
Cover by CLASSIFIED
CLASSIFIED

So I say to the fourteen-year-old, "Hey, they're supposed to be getting a new writer and artist for Runaways. Her reply? "Yay about the artist." Yeah, this is one of hers as well.


Oh, and also, I'm not getting it because I bought the floppies, but they're putting out an Irredeemable Ant-Man trade. That was an awesome series, if you didn't get it you should check this out!

Double standard (spoilers for JLA 31)

There's a preview up of Justice League of America 31 at IGN, which is what the potential spoilers are for. I mean, if you avoid reading previews, which I'm sure someone does.

So in this scene, Black Canary calls Hal and Ollie together. They show up. She shows up. She punches Ollie.

It's more or less played for laughs, or at least no one in the scene seemed particularly bothered by the fact that Dinah just hit her husband.

They weren't sparring.

He wasn't wearing a Starro on his neck, or otherwise under mind control.

He did not appear to be threatening her in any way.

No, she hit him because she was mad at him.

Look, I recognize that superheroes probably don't mind getting hit as much as the rest of us would. And I realize that Ollie knows how to take a punch, and that Dinah could have pretty much taken his head off is she'd wanted to.

But. She hit her husband because she was angry with him.

Think about it--what if it was Ollie hitting Dinah because he was mad? Would that be cute? Funny? Understandable? Forgivable?

(For the answer to that question, ask Hank Pym...)

What I Want: The June 09 DC Solicitations

BATMAN AND ROBIN #1
"Batman Reborn" begins here! With the reunited team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, WE3, New X-Men), this first issue kicks off a 3-part story arc that can't be missed! The new Dynamic Duo hit the streets with a bang in their new flying Batmobile as they face off against an assemblage of villains called the Circus of Strange. They also tackle their first mission investigating a child who’s been abducted by the mysterious Domino Killer. But will everything go smoothly? And who exactly are the new Batman and Robin? The newest era of The Dark Knight begins here!
BATMAN #687
In this special epilogue to BATTLE FOR THE COWL, new BATMAN writer Judd Winick rejoins the Bat Family! This 40-page issue explores the final moments of the Battle for the Cowl as the new Batman learns that winning the Cowl comes at a high price! Witness the new Batman taking to the streets of Gotham City for the first time! Putting a new man inside the Bat-suit was the easy part – now the fun begins! Guest-starring Superman and Wonder Woman, this issue is a must-read for any Batman fan.
DETECTIVE COMICS #854
“Elegy” part 1 of 4! A new era in the history of DETECTIVE COMICS begins as Batwoman is unleashed on Gotham City! Marked by the blood-red bat, Kate Kane is a soldier fighting her own private war – one that began years ago and haunts her every waking moment. With a script by Greg Rucka and breath-taking art by JH Williams III, you've never seen anything like this! Featuring the debut of a new co-feature starring The Question written by Rucka! Odds against you? Alone and nowhere to turn? Willing to fight, but you don't know how? When you're searching everywhere for an answer, sometimes all you need to do is ask the right Question. Renee Montoya again dons the faceless mask to help those in need, all the while searching for her own answers in this new adventure with art by Cully Hamner (BLUE BEETLE).
RED ROBIN #1
Writer Chris Yost (New X-Men, X-Force) and artist by Ramon Bachs (Civil War: Front Line) kick off a brand-new ongoing series right here with “The Grail” part 1 of 4! Following the aftermath of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, a new Batman watches over Gotham City. But not everyone is ready to give up on the old one. Someone believes that Bruce Wayne may still be alive...and that someone is Red Robin. But who is wearing the Red Robin costume, and why is he traveling the globe looking for a dead man? Whoever he is, he's not alone in his search!
BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #1
An all-new Batman series by the DETECTIVE COMICS creative team of Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen! As a new Batman rises on the streets of Gotham City, the heroes, villains and citizens take notice. How will the police feel about this new Batman, and can he control the crime in Gotham the way the old Batman did? This new series also features a regular ongoing co-feature starring Manhunter written by Marc Andreyko and illustrated by Georges Jeanty (Buffy Season 8)! Kate Spencer lost a friend during the chaos of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, and now she wants payback. As usual, she’ll use any means necessary to get it!
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #1
This all-new series features the bad girls of Gotham City! Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are tired of playing by other people's rules regardless of which side of the law they're on. These tough ladies have a new agenda that's all their own, and they'll use any means necessary to pursue it. But can they get along and work as a team? And who will get hurt along the way?

Yes, I am going to try out all the Batbooks, see which ones I want to keep. Yes, I'm probably crazy for doing it.


GREEN LANTERN CORPS #37
The penultimate “Emerald Eclipse” chapter is upon us as the breakout on Oa leads to vast devastation and death across the planet. As the War of Light rages, do Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, Kilowog and the rest of the Corps have the willpower to quell the riot and overcome the napalm-spewing Red Lanterns and the fear-spreading Sinestro Corps?

I imagine I'm going to be missing something by buying GLC and not GL but it's not exactly easy to know what.


JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #28
A Japanese spirit has appeared to exact revenge on the living symbols of America’s atomic warfare while the rest of the JSA reaches out to another founding member for assistance: The Spectre! Continuing the haunting new arc by Jerry Ordway and Bob Wiacek.

This sounds decent, actually.


POWER GIRL #2
As the Ultra-Humanite holds Manhattan and Power Girl hostage, he tells the parts of his origin that have never before been revealed. And what Power Girl learns chills her to the bone...

We like Power Girl here.


SECRET SIX #10
Where have all the forgotten heroes and villains of the DCU been? The Six are blackmailed by someone claiming to be their old boss, Mockingbird, into a brand-new mission taking them into the heart of the metahuman slave trade! And former Wonder Woman Artemis returns in the most brutal Secret Six story yet! Find out why Wizard Magazine says, “If you're not reading this book, you should be.”

We also like Secret Six here. (Okay, not the ten-year-old, who doesn't read it...but the rest of us do.)


TITANS #14
Starting this issue, we begin one-shot “Day in the Life” stories. And this issue stars Cyborg! In the grueling aftermath of the “Deathtrap” arc, Vic Stone must face the very teammates he feels he let down big-time. How he deals with it will shock you!

Does this mean that the Jericho storyline eventually goes away? :)



WONDER WOMAN #33
“The Rise of the Olympian," part 8 of 8! One of the biggest Wonder Woman stories in years comes to a shattering conclusion as Diana faces a new chapter in her life! The fate of Genocide, Achilles, the Amazons, and two of Diana's closest friends all hang in the balance – and on an ending you won't believe. Even if you haven't been following this story, this is an issue that you'll want to own!

Still a keeper.


JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOL. 2 TP
The second volume collecting the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL comics of the 1980s, now in trade paperback! Included here are JUSTICE LEAGUE ANNUAL #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #8-13 and SUICIDE SQUAD #13, featuring Batman, Blue Beetle, Martian Manhunter, Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Mister Miracle, Dr. Fate, Booster Gold, Doctor Light, and the power of Shazam!

And come to think of it, I never got around to getting the first volume. Must get on that.


JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOL. 2 TP
The second volume collecting the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL comics of the 1980s, now in trade paperback! Included here are JUSTICE LEAGUE ANNUAL #1, JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #8-13 and SUICIDE SQUAD #13, featuring Batman, Blue Beetle, Martian Manhunter, Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Mister Miracle, Dr. Fate, Booster Gold, Doctor Light, and the power of Shazam!

For the ten-year-old, as always.

Is this what they call an embarassment of riches?

I was just looking at the Marvel previews previews, and they're offering some things that I want more than words can say:

MISS AMERICA COMICS #1 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
A brand new adventure of one of comics’ original super-heroines! Plus an extra-special classic reprint of one of her original 1940’s adventures. Jen van Meter (Black Lightning) and Andy MacDonald (PUNISHER: WAR JOURNAL) take you back to a time when the fate of the United States rested not only in thousands of men fighting for freedom overseas, but also in the hands of the women back home building the equipment that would keep the country running and winning! So get ready Axis Annie, Vichy Vixen, and...Madame Mauzer! Her name might be Miss America...but she sure ain’t gonna miss a chance to sock evil in the face! (This solicit brought to you by a very tipsy editor!)

YOUNG ALLIES COMICS #1 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Before they were Invaders, Bucky Barnes and Toro the Flaming Kid joined forces with four teen-age friends to battle the Third Reich as the Young Allies! Their fictionalized adventures thrilled readers on the Home Front throughout World War II, but their real story has never been told -- until now! Discover the truth behind comics' original kid gang! Action! Intrigue! Adventure! All in a timely tale by Roger Stern (Amazing Spider-Man) and Paolo Rivera (Mythos). And in a bonus back-up, take another trip to the Golden Age with a classic reprint from the Timely Era!

So when do we see it?

All I'm saying is that I read the preview of the upcoming Captain America, and I now believe more firmly than ever that Black Widow should get her very own book.

I Want This!

The Batcave Companion. All about 60s-70s era Batman. Looks like awesome fun.

Do I need the book because I've got the action figure?

You know, I'm quite looking forward to Detective featuring Batwoman. I'm not altogether sure why, since I haven't really seen much of her outside of 52. But I like what I have seen of the character--a bat-character whose ties to actual Batman (if any) have yet to be revealed.

Very cool idea!

Now, this sounds like a lot of fun!

[DC] today officially announced Wednesday Comics, a new 12-part weekly series launching this summer that will be presented in a 14” x 20” broadsheet format and will have to be unfolded and opened to be read.

What I'm curious about is whether this will be printed on newsprint-quality paper? And have a low cost to go along with that?

One more comment on the current Justice League title

I'm not someone who tends to notice T&A in comics too much. (I'm actually rather a fan of Frank Cho--sure, his women have plenty of T and even more A, but they also have muscles and look pretty darn tough.)

However, there were times when I thought the book really ought to be called "The Adventures of Black Canary's Butt, Featuring the Justice League."

Best argument yet for waiting for the trade

I've just read the first two Justice League of America trades (I'm pretty sure that's all they've put out so far). I guess I've decided that, for this one, at this point, I'm definitely "waiting for the trade." I'd probably mind it less if it wasn't "wait for the hardcover, don't buy it because it's insanely pricey, and then wait for the trade."

Now, I actually did start getting this book in monthly form, so although I gave up on it relatively soon, I actually have read some of the stories before. And I will say that it's far easier to read them in a trade paperback. I know, of course, that this is a modern trend--the whole "writing for the trade" that leads readers to "waiting for the trade" in the first place. I don't necessarily have a problem with it.

However, one of the reasons I dropped the monthly in the first place was that I was finding it to be virtually unreadable on a monthly basis. I couldn't just read the latest book when it arrived and have it make sense--I'd frequently find myself wondering what the heck was going on. So I dropped it. But now that I've read it all at once? Now I can see the story and it's a much more cohesive story.

I will grant that this may have something to do with my own memory and attention span. But writing for the trade is a common practice, and there are plenty of titles that do likewise that I have never had any difficulty following. I don't think it's really an issue of complex storytelling, either--I've been reading Captain America for ages, a book featuring plenty of tight turns and ornate plot twists, and I've never had any problems keeping up. (I do buy the trades and the monthlies for that book, but it's not because I have to. It's because I want to read the story right away and also want to be able to reread it easily.)

Anyway, now I'm caught up on the Justice League. Well, no, actually I'm not--but someday I will be. Okay, no, actually I won't. But this way I'll enjoy the experience.

Linkage!

Nice, thought-provoking article here on legacy characters.

Direct to DVD isn't necessarily a bad thing

I am not, on the whole, a big fan of comic-book movies. I don't hate them--more often than not the husband eventually brings them home from the DVD store and we watch them--but I have no interest in seeking them out. Some I've quite liked, like Iron Man. For the most part, though, I don't have any special must-see feeling about comic-book movies. I feel about them the way I feel about any movies--some are good, most are adequate, and too many are truly wretched. They don't give me that "comic book feeling" if you know what I mean.

On the other hand, animated movies based on comic books? Those I love. Those I will go out of my way to see.

While some of this may have to do with the medium simply being closer to the original, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that comic book movies are big business, which means that they have to conform to movie norms in additional to comic-book norms. And if there's a conflict, well, it's the comic-book norm that loses out.

There's also the simplification issue--that comic books, going on for years and years, tend to build up a significant amount of backstory which may or may not be significant in a given storyline. The movie version of a hero tends to be a relatively stripped-down version, sometimes to the point of being unrecognizable. (You'd think that an animated movie would have the same issues, but for some reason it's less bothersome there.)

I think, though, that the main thing is that an animated movie doesn't mind being a comic-book movie. A live-action film often seems vaguely embarrassed about it.

Yay for pie!

This isn't comic-related exactly, but I just wanted to thank the comic-book Twitter community for informing me that today is "Pi Day." (3/14 and all that.) I celebrated by buying several smallish pies at the store (not enough notice to bake 'em!), and the family has decided that this is a holiday we can really get behind, and plan to celebrate it every year!

For anyone without enough to do these days

Fans of "When Fangirls Attack" have probably noticed that the site is now up for grabs as the original team has had an attack of Real Life and has been unable to keep up with it for a while.

For those who don't know (and if you don't, what are you doing reading my far-less-notable blog?), "When Fangirls Attack" is a linkblog featuring links to posts and articles having to do with women in comics. It was probably responsible for my having even heard of quite a few comic blogs, and was certainly responsible for my awareness of quite a few issues of interest. (No, I'm not going to apply. Sometimes I barely find time to read my own blog. :))

In any case, I think this site provided an invaluable service and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has missed it in recent times. So...anyone who feels they have the knowledge and energy (and time, don't forget time) to take it on, go to the above link and see what's up!

Two for (slightly more than) the price of one

There's an article here talking about how a number of DC comic titles are going to add "co-features"--a second story focusing on a different character. Apparently they are going to add pages to the books in order to do this, and use it to bring the price up a dollar (because additional price + additional content = fewer annoyed fans).

It's kind of a neat idea, actually. Back in the day, it wasn't all that unusual to see back-up stories in comics. My impression at the time was that it was an older custom; older Marvel comic titles like Tales of Suspense would feature two separate ongoing storylines (Captain America and Iron Man, for example), but entirely new books (like Fantastic Four) would generally have only one story per comic. And a popular character would inevitably move on to his own solo book--IIRC eventually Iron Man got his own comic starting with issue #1, while Cap's own comic inherited the advanced numbering of the original shared title.

The books mentioned in the article are Booster Gold (which will gain a Blue Beetle feature) and Teen Titans (which will add a Ravager storyline). I would expect the former to pick up some new readers, since so many folks miss the recently-cancelled Blue Beetle book. And it may be that Ravager is enough of a breakout character to bring in new people (although I'd expect that a fair number of those who'd likely pick up TT because of the Ravager feature would have been buying the book anyway).

That's the issue, I suppose--is it more important for the second feature to be related to the main title somehow, or to bring in more readers? I'm guessing that Booster Gold will, because there are plenty of people who loved Blue Beetle who aren't necessarily all that interested in Booster. I don't know whether Teen Titans will get that sort of bump from a Ravager feature, although it may.

I do think that giving the upcoming Doom Patrol book a Metal Men backup is genius. Mainly because I read both as a kid (not regularly but occasionally) at around the same time, and they had the same sort of "feel" to them. That's subjective, of course, and I wouldn't base any financial projections on it. :)

Why haven't I done that yet?

I am stalling on ordering the comic books this month.

I'm not sure why--it's not as if I'm debating whether to get any particular titles this month. That is sometimes the case--I spend a day or so thinking "Do I want to continue with Trinity/JLA/Fantastic Four/Dark Avengers to see if it improves, or do I give up and cut my losses now?" But not this month. This month I know what I want. I just don't seem to have the energy to actually place the order!

Need to get that done soon, though.

My thoughts on current Events

Final Crisis - Readable, but not thrilling.

Secret Invasion - Best thing to come out of this was the return of Mockingbird.

Dark Reign - Is it just me, or is Norman Osborn just too annoying to live? Watching him on the page is like nails-on-chalkboard irritating. Maybe that's the point?

Blackest Night - I have high hopes for this one, but if it does turn out to be Hal-centric I'm going to be annoyed. I want to see everyone have a turn!

Battle for the Cowl - Also looking forward to, and in part this is because we get to see the Bat-cast without Batman himself around. Very curious about what they're going to decide to do with Jason Todd. Also, spotlight on Batwoman (apparently)!

Four DC Superheroes Who Just Never Did It For Me

1. Superman
2. Green Lantern Hal (hey, I've tried!)
3. Mr. Miracle (but I love Barda!)
4. Dr. Fate

Four Marvel Superheroes Who Just Never Did It For Me

1. Thor
2. Dr. Strange
3. Hulk
4. Spider-Man

Choking hazard!

So today we're expecting company, who may or may not come with toddlers. I'm debating whether or not we need to put the action figures away, or make them in some way inaccessible.

It's not that I don't want them played with. The ten-year-old's friend is here frequently and they often play with the figures. They take reasonable care with them, which is all I ask.

But toddlers and very young children are different.

There's a reason that these things are for ages 3 and up, you know, and that reason is that parts can come off and be swallowed.

And if, say, Plastic Man loses a hand and it ends up in somebody's diaper, well, I'm not entirely sure I'd want it back.

EDIT: Plas is fine. Baron Zemo, on the other hand, spent some time with his head stuck in the mouth of a small child. He is uninjured, but undoubtedly traumatized. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, right?

Just when I thought it was safe to get out of the Bat-pool...

You know, I kind of figured that, having picked up Batman and Detective just for the RIP/Battle for the Cowl thing, I'd eventually go back to something like my normal number of Bat-related comics (which would be, I think, just Robin and that in great part because of the kids).

Well, now apparently they're going to be putting out Gotham City Sirens, with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, along with Catwoman.

Obviously I'm not going to be cutting back as much as I'd anticipated.

Legacy characters again

There's another potential problem with legacy characters that didn't occur to me until yesterday when I was talking with the kids. I will illustrate. Example one...

Mom's favorite Flashes, in order:
1. Jay
2. Wally
3. Barry
4. Bart

The kids favorite Flashes, in order:
1. The Flash. You know, the Flash! What do you mean there's more than one?


Example two...

Mom's favorite Robins, in order:
1. Jason
2. Dick
3. Tim
4. Stephanie

The kids' favorite Robins, in order:
1. I think his name is Tim? There was more than one of them, too? Really? Nightwing used to be Robin? Seriously? Whoa.


Example three...

Mom's favorite Green Lanterns, in order:
1. Kyle
2. Guy
3. John
4. Alan
5. Hal

The kids' favorite Green Lanterns, in order:
1. John
2. John
3. John
4. John
5. Guy

Something important for a change

Click this link:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/030902-Planet-Karen.html

for info on helping Karen Ellis, the creator of webcomic Planet Karen, who recently lost everything in a fire. She's fine, but has very little left.

It's a wonderful, personal, creative comic. I've seen nothing like it anywhere else. This woman has talent and the sooner she's able to exercise it fully again, the better!

DC Direct Justice League International Ice Action Figure

Ice arrived a while ago, and I'm only now getting around to writing about her? (I shouldn't say that, I've still got two other unreviewed figures on the shelves--just it's not typical.)

Anyway. Ice is a typical DC Direct figure. That means minimal posability and merely adequate playability. The head turns, she turns at the hip and shoulder, bends at the knee and elbow, and her boots and gloves turn. That's it. She stands very well, and sits nicely--even on Guy Gardner's lap :)--but there has been no R-rated posing between those two because they're simply not capable of it. I am not saying this because I am disappointed--you know what you're getting with DC Direct, and if they happen to do more it's a nice bonus but not expected--just stating the fact of it.

As for how she looks? Well, I'm a fan of the JLI books and art, so I should've been somewhat predisposed to like these figures. However, I was unimpressed with J'Onn and just not inclined to get most of the others (other than Fire, who I've also preordered). Ice, I like quite a bit. The costume is faithful to the original, as is her general look. The costume has a deep neckline, but the bust is actually quite modest, and Ice herself is far from the tippable scrawny little thing that some other female figures have been (I'm looking at you, Infinite Crisis Donna Troy) Her legs are muscular. Her arms--well, she's got those puff sleeves so it's hard to be sure, but they're of a sensible proportion for a healthy superheroine whose powers are not strength-based. Her stance is also excellent--legs spread somewhat (makes her more stable for display), arms easily positioned to use her powers. Her facial expression is fairly neutral (which I prefer to the snarls you sometimse see) but I can easily interpret it to be an expression of calm resolve (and I do).

On the whole, I'm very pleased with this figure and am really looking forward to seeing what Fire is like.

Anticipation rewarded?

The comics arrived today. First read: Captain America, Secret Six, and Avengers/Invaders. The first to continue to be excellent, the third, well, not really as good as I'd expected it to be, but certainly readable.

Some genuine DC nostalgia on my part!

I just heard that the upcoming Doom Patrol series is going to have a backup Metal Men feature.

I didn't read a lot of DC as a kid, but I do remember getting those two books on occasion, and enjoying them. (Also the Inferior Five but that's beside the point.)

So, more potential cool, right?

A narrow perspective on the scans_daily brouhaha

The recent suspension of the LiveJournal group scans_daily (a community where folks would post selected pages from older and current comic books along with commentary, and other folks would discuss) is all over the comic blog world today, so I figured I'd weigh in with my thoughts as well--hey, maybe get in on a conversation while it's still ongoing for once!

There are two sides, as there often are. One says that the group is guilty of copyright infringement, that the postings there go beyond the limits of fair use, and that its existence costs the comic companies money because people go there to read the high points of comics instead of buying them. The other says that the group exposed folks to comics they might not otherwise have checked out, and that folks then go and buy the comics they've seen excerpted there.

I was never a regular at scans_daily, although I did come across it fairly often; I don't know whether what was posted there exceeded fair use (I am not a lawyer, and of course I haven't read everything there) to the point of illegality, so I won't address the legal issue at all. Obviously if it's illegal to do, any benefit the comic companies may or may not have gained is beside the point.

But I'm curious about folks' reading habits and how they're influenced. I know that my own comic reading has expanded because of having read excerpted pages online (sometimes at scans_daily, more often at other sites including official preview pages). I know that I've purchased trade paperbacks after having read bits of old comics online. (Batman: Red Hood, Batman: Death in the Family, the old Outsiders TPBs, several Green Lantern trades, the Justice League International Trades, Villains United which led to a love of the Secret Six which led to a tendency to at least try anything Gail Simone writes, etc.). I know that I've not only added books to my list but also picked up books I'd already dropped after seeing pages online. (And I'll tell you that the latter makes me damn grumpy--"Awww, damn it, why did I stop getting that, it's gotten good!) And I know there are characters (Arsenal/Red Arrow, for one) I've grown interested in solely because I've seen their stories excerpted online.

I am not saying that my experience is typical, because I don't know--maybe there are more people who don't buy books because of online excerpts than there are those of us who end up buying more (okay, sometimes a lot more...). (And I know I'm someone who really doesn't like reading online--I much prefer to hold something in my hands when I'm reading--so perhaps my preference for paper has some effect here.)

And I'm not saying that it's wrong that LiveJournal took the site down, because I don't know the law behind that decision.

I'm just offering an individual data point, and saying that scans_daily and similar sites are responsible for my having spent a fair bit more money on comics than I would have otherwise.